The proposal of loosening the patent policy of the W3C is an assault on
the W3C itself. So far, the W3C has probably become the main reason why
the web has not yet devolved into a smattering of incompatible corporate
standards. By creating standards anyone can implement, the W3C has
still managed to maintain a situation where most web pages today can be
viewed with any browser, although a few unfortunate exceptions exist.
So far we have still not seen any restraint on the part of corporations
trying to push their own proprietary standards. If RAND is adopted, and
subsequently fee-based standards are adopted, W3C will simply be a
clearing house for these proprietary standards at no end-user benefit.
There will no longer be a drive to develop true standards than anyone
can implement, including those that have no ability to pay royalty
payments. In the end, we will all be much poorer as a result.
I urge you in the strongest possible terms to reject this proposal.
H. Peter Anvin